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©limpsfs of iCru> Dooko.
DICEY LANGSTON.
[ Frotn the Women of the American Revolution,”
by Mrs. E. F. Ellet. New-York : Baker & Scrib
ner, Publishers.]
The portion of South Carolina near the
frontier, watered by the Pacolet, the Tyger,
and the Ennoree, comprising Spartanburg and
Union Districts, witnessed many deeds of vi
olence and blood, and many bold achieve
ments of the hardy partisans. It could also
boast its full complement of women whose
aid in various ways was of essential service
to the patriots. So prevalent was loyalism
in the darkest of those days, so bitter was the
animosity felt towards the whigs, and so ea
ger the determination to root them from the
soil, that the very recklessness of hate gave
frequent opportunities for the betrayal of the
plans of their enemies. Often were the
boastings of those who plotted some midnight
surprise, or some enterprise that promised
rare pillage —uttered in the hearing of weak
and despised women-—unexpectedly turned
into wonder at the secret agency that had
disconcerted them, or execrations upon their
own folly. The tradition of the country
teems with accounts of female enterprise in
this kind of service, very few instances of
whieh were recorded in the military journals.
The patriots were frequently indebted for
important information to one young girl, fif
teen or sixteen years old at the commence
ment of the war. This was Dicey, the daugh
ter of Solomon Langston, of Laurens District.
He was in principle a stout liberty man, but
incapacitated by age and infirmities from tak
ing an active part in the contest. His son
was a devoted patriot, and was ever found in
the field where his services were most need
ed. He had his home in the neighborhood,
and could easily receive secret intelligence
from his sister, who was always on the alert.
Living surrounded by loyalists, some of whom
were ner own relatives, Miss Langston found
it easy to make herself acquainted with their
movements and plans, and failed not to avail
herself of every opportunity to do so, and im
mediately jo communicate what she learned
to the whigs on the other side of the Ennoree
River. At length, suspicion of the active aid
she rendered was excited among the tory
neighbors. Mr. Langston was informed that
he would be held responsible thenceforward,
with his property, for the conduct of his
daughter. The young girl was reproved se
verely, and commanded to desist from her pa
triotic treachery. For a time she obeyed the
parental injunction; but having heard by ac
cident that a company of loyalists, who on
account of their ruthless cruelty had been
commonly called the “ Bloody Scout,” intent
on their work of death, were about to visit
the “Elder settlement” where her brother and
some friends were living, she determined at
all hazards to warn them of the intended ex
pedition. She had none in whom to confide;
but was obliged to leave her home alone, and
by stealth, and at the dead hour of night.—
Many miles were to be traversed, and the
road lay through woods, and crossed marshes
and creeks, where the conveniences of bridges
and foot-logs were wanting. She walked
rapidly on heedless of slight difficulties; but
her heart almost failed her when she came to
the banks *)f the Tyger —a deep and rapid
stream, which there was no possibility of
crossing except by wading through the ford.
This she knew to be deep at ordinary times,
and it had doubtless been rendered more dan
gerous by the rains that had lately fallen.-
Hut the thought of personal danger weighed
not with her, in comparison to the duty she
owed her friends and country. Her moment
ary hesitation was but the shrinking of na
ture from peril encountered in darkness and
alone, when the imagination conjures up a
thousand appalling ideas, each more startling
than the worst reality. Her strong heart
battled against these, and she resolved to ac
complish her purpose, or perish in the at
tempt. She entered the water; but when in
the middle of the ford, became bewildered,
nnd knew not which direction to take. The
hoarse rush of the waters, which were up to
her neck—the blackness of the night—the
utter solitude around her—the uncertainty
Jest the next step should engulph her past
help, confused her; and losing in a degree
her self-possession, she wandered for some
time in the channel without knowing whither
jo turn her steps. But the energy of a reso
lute will, under the care of Providence, sus
tained her. Having with difficulty reached
the other side, she lost no time in hastening
to her brother—informed him and his friends
of the preparations made to surprise and de
stroy them, and urged him to send his men
mstantly in different directions to arouse and
“am the neighborhood. The soldiers had
§© H ¥ SHI IR 53 Ch OITISIR AIE ¥ ®A Sn ‘fff IS *
just returned from a fatiguing excursion, and
complained that they were faint from want
of food. The noble girl, not satisfied with
what she had done at such risk to herself,
was ready to help them still further by pro
viding refreshment immediately. Though
wearied, wet, and shivering with cold, she at
once set about her preparations. A few
boards were taken from the roof of the house,
a fire was kindled with them, and in a few
minutes a hoe-cake, partly baked, was broken
into pieces, and thrust into the shot-pouches
of the men. Thus provisioned, the little
company hastened to give the alarm to their
neighbors, and did so in time for all to make
their escape. The next day, when the ‘ scout’
visited the place, they found no living enemy
on whom to wreak their vengeance.
At a later period of the war, the father of
Miss Langston incurred the displeasure of
the loyalists in consequence of the active ser
vices of his sons in their country’s cause.—
They were known to have imbibed their
principles from him; and he was marked out
as an object of summary vengeance. A par
ty came to his house with the desperate de
sign of putting to death all the men of the
lamily. The sons were absent; but the fee
ble old man, selected by their relentless hate
as a victim, was in their power. He could
not escape or resist, and he scorned to im
plore their mercy. One of the company drew
a pistol, and deliberately levelled it at the
breast of Langston. Suddenly a wild shriek
was heard, and his young daughter sprang
between her aged parent and the fatal wea
pon. The brutal soldier roughly ordered her
to get out of the way, or the contents of the
pistol would be instantly lodged in her own
heart. She heeded not the threat, which was
but too likely to be fulfilled the next moment.
Clasping her arms tightly round the old man’s
neck, she declared that her own body should
first receive the ball aimed at his heart !
There are few human beings, even of the
most depraved, entirely insensible to all noble
and generous impulses. On this occasion the
conduct of the daughter, so fearless, so deter
mined to shield her father’s life by the sacri
fice of her own, touched the heart even of a
member of the ‘Bloody Scout.’ Langston
was spared, and the party left the house fill
ed with admiration at the filial affection and
devotion they had witnessed.
At another time, the heroic maiden showed
herself as ready to prevent wrong to an ene
my as to her friends. Her father’s house
was visited by a company of whigs, who
stopped to get some refreshment, and to feed
their wearied horses. In the course of con
versation one of them mentioned that they
were going to visit a tory neighbor, for the
purpose of seizing his horses. The man
whose possessions were thus to be appropri
ated had been in general a peaceable citizen;
and Mr. Langston determined to inform him
of the danger in which his horses stood of
having their ownership changed. Entering
cordially into her father’s design, Miss Langs
ton set off immediately to carry the informa
tion. She gave it in the best faith; but just
before she started on her return home, she
discovered that the neighbor whom she had
warned was not only taking precautions to
save his property, but was about to send for
the captain of a tory band not far distant, so
that the “liberty men” might be captured
when intent on their expedition, before they
should be aware of their danger. It was
now the generous girl’s duty to perform a
like friendly act towards the whigs. She
lost no time in conveying the intelligence,
and thus saved an enemy’s property and the
lives of her friends.
Her disregard of personal danger, where
service could be rendered, was remarkable.
One day, returning from a whig neighbor
hood in Spartanburg District, she was met by
a company of loyalists, who ordered her to
give them some intelligence they desired re
specting those she had just left. She refused,
whereupon the captain of the band held a pis
tol to her breast, and ordered her instantly to
make the disclosures, or she should “ die in
her tracks.” Miss Langston only replied,
with the cool intrepidity of a veteran soldier,
“ Shoot me if you dare ! I will not tell you;”
at the same time opening along handkerchief
which covered her neck and bosom, as if of
fering a place to receive the contents of the
weapon. Incensed by her defiance, the of
ficer was about to fire, when another threw
up his hand, and saved the courageous girl’s
life.
On one occasion, when her father’s house
was visited on a plundering expedition by
the noted tory Captain Gray with his rifle
men, and they had collected and divided eve
ry thing they thought could be of use, they
were at some loss what to do with a large
pewter basin. At length the captain deter
mined on taking that also, jeeringly remark
ing, “ it will do to run into bullets to kill the
rebels.” “Pewter bullets, sir,” answered
Miss Langston, “ will not kill a whig. ’ —
“ Why not ?” inquired Captain Gray. “It is
said, sir,” replied she, “ that a witch can he
shot only with a silver bullet; and lam sure
the whigs are more under the protection of
Providence.” At another time, when a com
pany of the enemy came to the house they
found the door secured. To their demand for
admission and threats of breaking down the
door, Miss Langston answered by sternly bid
ding them begone. Her resolute language
induced the company to “ hold a parley”;
and the result was, that they departed with
out further attempt to obtain an entrance.
One more anecdote is given to illustrate her
spirit and fearlessness. Her brother James
had left a rifle in her care, which she was to
keep hid till he sent for it. He did so, by a
company of “ liberty men,” who were to re
turn by his father’s dwelling, On arriving
at the house, one of them asked the young
girl for the gun. She went immediately, and
brought it; but as she came towards the sol
diers, the thought struck her that she had
neglected to ask for the countersign agreed
upon between her brother and herself. Ad
vancing more cautiously, she observed to
them that their looks were suspicious; that
for aught she knew they might be a set of
tories ; and demanded the countersign. One
of the company answered that it was too late
to make conditions ; the gun Was in their
possession, and its holder, too. “Do you
think so,” cried she, cocking it, and present
ing the muzzle at the speaker. “If the gun
is in your possession, take charge of her /”
Her look and attitude of defiance showed her
in earnest; the countersign was quickly giv
en ; and the men, laughing heartily, pronoun
ced her worthy of being the sister of James
Langston.
After the war was ended, Miss Langston
married Thomas Springfield, of Greenville,
South Carolina. She died in Greenville Dis
trict, a few years since, Os her numerous
descendants then living, thirty-two were sons
and grandsons capable of bearing arms, and
ready at any time to do so in the maintenance
of that liberty which was so dear to the youth
ful heart of their ancestor.*
*The preceding anecdotes were furnished by Hon.
B. F. Perry, of Greenville, South Carolina, who re
ceived them from one of Mrs. Springfield’s family.
Sketches of Character.
CAUSSIDIERE.
Among the Revolutionary notabilities whom
the overthrow of the French Monarchy, in
February last, brought conspicuously before
the eyes of Europe, one of the most remark
able is Marc Caussidiere, the ex-Perfect of
Police under the Provisional Government :
not that he is a man who bears the impress
of genius on his brow, like some of his col
leagues, or who is even gifted with a high
order of talent; but that he is the type of a
class, whose turbulence, conspiracies, person
al daring, recklessness, ignorance, and wrong
headedness have made them a noted, hated,
and dreaded body—the horror and antipathy
of all regular Governments, whether Mon
archical or Republican—the leaders of the
Communist workmen and partisans of the
Red Republic.
Caussidiere, the beau ideal of this danger
ous class, was born at Lyons in 1809. His
parents, at the time of his birth, were plung
ed in the most abject poverty, from which
Marc with all his plotting, has seldom been
able to escape.
He took part in all the insurrectionary
movements, whether at Lyons or other places,
which have occurred since the Revolution of
1830, and his well-known fame in this re
spect, coupled with certain personal qualities,
made him a great favorite with the ouvriers
Republicains; for he was a good-natured,
kind-hearted, jovial fellow—ever ready for a
debauch or a row—free with his money when
he happened to have any—sticking close to
his friends in bad fortune as well as good—
always willing to be the foremost in any dan
ger—always steady in his detestation of the
infame” Louis Phillippe, and in his devo
tedness to ultra Republicanism.
In the plotting and preparations which pre
ceded the frightful insurrection of 1834, Caus
sidiere took an active part, but he did not hap
pen to be at Lyons when the revolt broke
out. No sooner, however, did he hear of it
than he endeavored to support it by creating
an insurrection at St. Etienne, where he then
was. He did effect a partial rising of the mob,
and even got so far as to build barricades
and begin firing; but he and the other ring
leaders were overmatched by the police and
soldiery, were captured, and lodged in gaol.
In the struggle which preceded the arrest,
Caussidiere came into personal collision with
a police agent, and it was alleged that he
slew him by stabbing him in the back. On
his trial, however, along with the other in
surgents before the Chamber of Peers, he
was acquitted of the charge of murder, but
was sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment, on
the charge of conspiracy and insurrection.—
He was ultimately released from confinement,
in consequence of a general decree of am
nesty, and once more betook himself to his
old trade of conspirator, at which the Revo
lution of February found him busy as ever.
His means of living at the time is said to
have been derived from a salary which he
had from the Reforme newspaper, for travel
ling through the provinces to push the circu
lation of that journal. Into the revolution
of February he plunged with all the ardor of
gratified hopes long deferred ; and on the or
ganization of the Provisional Government, he
had address enough to get himself installed
in the Prefecture of Police. But even in this
responsible situation his plotting spirit was
not laid aside, and for the part which he took
in promoting the insurrectionary demonstra
tion on the 15th of May against the Nation
al Assembly, he is now a refugee from the
Republic, just as he was a detemi under the
Monarchy.
Caussidiere is a man of gigantic stature
and strength, with a little head, who speaks
generally in argot, or French slang, inter
mingled with an abundance of oaths and sac
res.
His whereabout since his disappearance
from the National Assembly has not yet been
ascertained. Many are of opinion that he
has not left Paris, but lies there in secret for
better times. —lllustrated News.
Xnuspapcv 2lnaUcts.
GRATITUDE OF A FISH.
At a meeting of the Liverpool Literary and
Philosophial Society, held on Monday, some
most extraordinary statements, relative to the
instinct of the brute creation, were made by
a visitor, one Dr. Warwick. From the fol
lowing specimen we think he might venture
on an extension of the Arabian Night’s En
tertainments, with every prospect of success.
He said that when he resided at Dunham, the
seat of the Earl of Stamford and Warrington,
he was walking one evening in the Park,
and came to the pond where fish, intended
for the table, were temporarily kept. He
took particular notice of a fine pike, of about
six pounds weight, which when it observed
him darted hastily away. In so doing it
struck its head against a tenter hook in a
post, of which there were several in the pond,
placed to prevent poaching, and as it after
wafds appeared, fractured his skull, and
turned the optic nerve on one side. The ag
ony evinced by the animal was most horrible.
It rushed to the bottom, and boring its head
into the mud, whirled itself round with such
velocity that it was almost lost to the sight
for a short interval. It then plunged about
the pond, and at length threw itseli complet
ly out of the water on to the hank. He (the
doctor) went and examined it, and found that
a very small portion of the brain was protrud
ing from the fracture in the skull. Lie care
fully replaced this, and with a small silver
tooth-pick, raised the indented portion of the
skull. The fish remained still for a short
time, and he then put it again into the pond.
It appeared at first a good deal relieved, hut
in a few minutes it again darted and plunged
about until it threw itself out of the water a
second time.
A second time Dr. Warwick did what he
could to relieve it, and again put it into the
water. It continued for several times to
throw itself out of the pond, and with the
assistance of the keeper, the doctor at length
made a kind of pillow for the fish, which was
then left in the pond to its fate. Upon mak
ing his appearance at the pond on the fol
lowing morning, the pike came towards him
to the edge of the water, and actually laid its
head upon his foot. The doctor thought this
most extraordinary, hut he examined the
fish’s skull, and found it going on all right.
He then walked backwards and forwards
along the edge of the pond for some time,
and the fish continued to swim up and down,
turning whenever he turned; but, being blind
on the wounded side of the skull, it always
appeared agitated when it had that side to
wards the bank, as it could not then see its
benefactor. On the next day he took some,
voung friends down to see the fish, which
came to him as usual, and at length he actu
ally taught the pike to come to him at his
whistle, and feed out of his hands; while to
other persons it continued as shy as fish usu
ally are. He (Dr. Warwick) thought this a
most remarkable instance of gratitude in a
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